Canada's bees need help. Populations of the indispensable insects – upon which human survival depends – are unstable, so Honey Nut Cheerios is calling on Canadians to help Bring Back The Bees.Also read, State of Bee Populations in North America.

"One third of the foods we depend on for our survival are made possible by the natural pollination work that bees provide," said Emma Eriksson, Director of Marketing for General Mills Canada. "With ongoing losses in bee populations being reported across Canada, we're issuing a call to action to Canadians to help plant 35 million wildflowers – one for every person in Canada."

In support of this mission, Honey Nut Cheerios is giving away free wildflower seeds packs and encouraging consumers to visit BringBackTheBees.ca to request theirs.Renowned bee expert Marla Spivak, professor of Entomology at the University of Minnesota, is lending her support to the initiative."There are a range of threats to Canada's bee population, but among the biggest are the elimination of flowering plants and ground cover in urban and rural areas alike," Dr. Spivak said. "The goal of planting 35 million wildflowers will go a long way toward helping provide the natural habitat and food supply that is essential for healthy, sustainable bee colonies."

In the winter of 2014, Ontario beekeepers lost 58% of the province's honeybee population1. After the winter of 2015, 16% of all Canadian bee colonies were lost, 38% in Ontario2."We know Canadians are concerned about the state of things for our bees. Planting wildflowers is an easy, tangible way they can help – and it can be a fun, family activity as well," said Eriksson.